My Fears About Traveling to Thailand

As I sit here in this room in at the Jersey Shore, it is day five of a heat wave. In three months I will embark on my first time in Thailand. Sometimes I wonder how I am going to do it. I have some definite fears about traveling to Thailand.

I am the quintessential city girl. I have managed to navigate myself safely and effectively (as most often solo) in many major cities in the world. I have navigated myself in the New York City subway system with a casualness earned from years of experience. 

IN NYC December 2013

I have seen a film called Brokedown Palace starring Claire Daines and Kate Beckinsale. The film shows just how harsh the government can be on anyone that breaks the law. In the film, the girls were accused of drug smuggling with a speedy trial that resulted in 30-year prison sentences for possession. I am not 100 percent sure how accurate the plot may be, but if any of it is even remotely true it is something to ponder. I am not into drugs or smuggling, but I do not want to make any mistakes while I am there.

I was also stupid enough to watch part of a series on Netflix, 72 Dangerous Animals. Several of the episodes featured perilous animals in Thailand, both on land and at sea. While I am respectful of all the world’s creatures, I don’t necessarily want too many close encounters with any wildlife. 

Photo courtesy of Netflix

This is the first time I am traveling to Asia. I know the culture and the climate can be very different from where I am used to traveling, thus far. The furthest I had been away from the East Coast was Hawaii, which is 4,908 miles. This excursion will mark 8,651 miles away from my homebase. I will truly be out of my element for the very first time.  It wasn’t just that, I was used to a more European and Caribbean experiences before this. There is the language issue as well for I will need to prepare myself with some lessons in the Thai language. 

Beautiful Thailand Photo Courtesy Wikipedia Commons

Am I going to let any of the above stop me? Absolutely not. In the past before a new adventure, I would disclose my fears to myself, research them and then face it head on. Nothing is worse than living with the regret of not doing something that you always wanted to do. Facing the fear is much better than living with the fact you passed up on something extraordinary. 

I have to say that this trip will be a new test for me. I will face my fears about traveling to Thailand. I plan to document my new experience thoroughly while I am there, so it will be interesting to see how my adjustment will unfold. 

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